Traction-engine



No. 62l,l58. Patented Mar. I4, I899. l. SEDGWICK.

TRACTION ENGINE.

(Application filed Fab. 5, 1898.) U -2 Sheets-Sheet Witnesses: Inventor Attorney THE seams PETERS co. womu-ma. WASNINGTQN, o. c.

l Patel ited Mar. 14, I899.

No. ezusa.

. SEDGWIGK.

TRACTION ENGINE.

(Application filed Feb. 5, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

' Inventor- Witnesses:

S Attorney w: mums Pzrgns Pug-ruumQ, WASHINGTON. n. c

motor-shaft and its counter-shaft; and Fig. 6

Mrs STATES ISHAM SEDGWVIOK, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,158, dated March 14, 1899.

Application filed February 5, 1898. Serial No- 669,198. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it nuty concern:

Be it known that I, ISHAM SEDGWICK, of Richmond, Vayne county, Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traction-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention, pertaining to improvements in traction-engines and designed to enhance the tractive power,steerin g facility,and structural flexibility of such engines, will be readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a plan of a traction-engine exemplifying my invention, portions of the frame being broken away and the equalizer appearing in horizontal section; Fig. 2, apartial plan illustrating the manner of changing from one to another alternative system of steering under changing situations; Fig. 3, an elevation of the inner face of the left-hand rear wheel and its immediate attachments, the righthand end of Fig. 1 being considered as the front end; Fig. 4, a vertical transverse section of the same; Fig. 5,a front elevation of the a diagram illustrating the gearing connecting the motor-shaft, its counter-shaft, and the equalizer.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the exemplifying framework of the structure, the same being illustrated as of open skeleton character, it being borne in mind that the framing will of course be modified in View of the particular use to which the engine is to be put, it being sufficient at present to say that it is the duty of the frame to give proper support to the motor, to the axles of the traction-wheels,

and to the power-transmitting and steering devices; 2, the four traction-wheels, of any usual construction, each carrying a toothed bevel-gear by means of which it may be driven; 3, eyes or bearings carried by the up per portion of the frame, these eyes having.

the eyes 3; 5, a long vertical pivot free to turn and to rise and fall in the eyes 3 and 4, there being one of these pivots at each of the traction wheels, and as the general provisions at each traction-wheel are alike the description may now be given in the singular; 6, a housing rigidly secured to the lower portion of pivot 5, such housing consisting of a vertical gutter-shaped member standing outward from but concentric with the pivot and having lugs at its base and top rigidly engaging the pivot, the construction being disclosed in horizontal section at the front portion of Fig. 2; 7, a stub-axle projecting rigidly outward from housing 6, the traction-wheel turning loosely on this stub-axle, the construction thus far described being obviously such that the frame is provided with four outwardlyprojecting stub-axles, each engaging a traction-wheel and each connected to the framing by vertical pivot, so as to be capable of angular motion independent of its fellows, the frame being capable of a rising-and-falling motion with reference to the four stubaxles; 8, a yoke formed in the intermediate portion of the pivot 5; 9, abevel-pinion loosely mounted within yoke 8 and engaging the bevel-gear of the traction-wheel, the axis of this pinion coinciding with the axis of pivot 5; 10, a stud or shaft in the axial line of pivot 5 and extending vertically across yoke 8 and serving as the journal for bevel-pinion 9; 11, a spur-gear fast with bevel-pinion 9, bevelpinion 9 and spur-gear 11 turning together; 12, a vertical counter-shaft journaled in the frame parallel with pivot 5, there being one of these counter-shafts for each of the four traction-wheels; 13, a spur-pinion splined on 14, a pair of horizontal shafts journaled in the frame and extending fore and aft between the front and rear counter-shafts 12, one of these longitudinal shafts extending between the left-hand pair of counter-shafts 12, while the other extends between the right-hand pair; 15, bevel gearing connecting longitudinal shafts 14 with the counter-shafts 12,this bevelgearing being disposed reversely at the opposite ends of the longitudinal shafts, so that the two vertical shafts 12, geared to the given longitudinal shaft, will turn in the same direction; 16, steering-arms connected with piv ots 5 and projecting therefrom in vertical ICO planes at right angles to the stub-axles 7, the inner ends of these arms partially encircling pivots 5 within the housings 6 and engaging the inner edges of the housings, as seen at the front portion of Fig. 2, the construction being such that the steering-arms act as rigid levers by which the stub-axles may be turned upon the axes of pivots 5, the innerends of the steering-arms being free for vertical motion within housing 6 and on pivots 5, these steering-arms resting up against eyes 4 of the frame; 17, links extending across the vehicle and connecting the two front steering-arms with each other and the two rear steering-arms with each other; 18, helical springs encircling pivots 5 within the housings 6 and engaging under steering-arms 16 and over the lower lugs of the housings, the housings thus supporting these springs, while the upper ends of the springs support the frame and also keep the steering-arms up against the frame; 19, similar helical springs on the upper portion of pivots 5 and engaging over yokes 8 and under eyes 3, these springs thus giving additional spring-support to the frame; 20, lugs projecting inwardly from yokes S and engaging pinions 13, so that pinions 13 are maintained in the horizontal planes of gears 11 as the frame rises and falls; 21, a toothed segment pivoted to the rear portion of the frame; 22, a link connecting this segment with the rear one of steering-links 17; 23, the steering-staff, vertieally journaled in the frame; 24, a pinion on the steering-staff, engaging the teeth of segment 21 and having suflicient length to engage also a rack below the segment; 25, the steering hand-wheel, fast on staff 23, the construction being obviously such that if the steering hand-wheel be turned it will cause the endwise movement of rear link 17 and the consequent swinging of the two rear stubaxles into angular position, with their axes parallel with each other, whereby the two rear traction-wheels can be shifted to positions equally oblique to the frame, while maintaining their parallelism with reference to each other; 26, a toothed rack disposed fore and aft in the frame and engaging steering-pinion 24; 27, a toothed segment pivoted at the forward portion of the frame; 28, a link connecting this segment with the front one of steering-links 17; 29, a fore and aft toothed rack engaging the teethof segment 27; 30, a bar rigidly connecting racks 26 and 29, whereby when the steering-pinion 24 turns rear steering-segment 21 and effects a steering adjustment of the rear traction wheels a corresponding steering adjustment will be given to the front traction-wheels; 31, a second toothed rack rigid with and facing rack 26 and standing clear of steering-pinion 24, the steering-pinion being between the two racks; 32, a fore and aft guide-slot formed in the rear portion of the general steering-rack structure; 33, an adj usting-cam journaled in the frame, engaging this slot and permitting the endwise motion of the rack structure, this cam, when 'turned by hand, serving to shift the rack structure sidewise, so that steering-pinion 24 may be engaged fully with racks 26 and 31 alternatively or partly with both racks; 34, the motor-shaft, journaled in the frame and exemplified by the crank-shaft of an engine; 35, the spur-gear of the equalizer, through which the traction-wheels are to be driven from the motor-shaft; 36, the two bevel-gears of the equalizer; 37, planetary bevel-pinions on the equalizer, carried by spur-gear 35 and gearing with bevelgears 36, the equalizer thus formed being as is usual in traction-engines; 38, a spur-gearon the motor-shaft and engaging spur-gear 35 of the equalizer and splined to the motor-shaft, so that it can he slid out of engagement with the equalizer; 39, the motoreounter-shaft, journaled in the frame parallel with the motor-shaft; 40, a gear splined on the motor counter-shaft 39 and adapted to be slid thereon, so as to gear with spur-gear 35 of the equalizer; 41, aspur-gear fast with gear 40, the two gears 40 and 41 thus sliding together on the motor countershaft, the connecting-hub between these two gears forming a winding-barrel; 42, a pinion splined on the motor-shaft and adapted to gear with gear 41 when the two are adjusted into the same plane; 43, a winding-barrel on the motor counter-shaft and having a smaller diameter than the winding-barrel previously referred to; 44, a pair of bevel-pinions with a common axis and geared, respectively, to the two front vertical counter-shafts 12, each of these pinions being rigidly connected with an appropriate one of the equalizing bevel-gears 36, and 45 a shaftjournaledin the frame and having secured to it one of equalizer-gears 36 and one of pinions 44, this shaft serving also as a journal on which equalizer spur-gear 35 turns idly, the left-hand end of this shaft projecting into the hub of left-hand equalizer-gear 36 to secure a steadying bearing. The equalizer presents no peculiarities over ordinary structures of this kind as found in traction-engines. The motor-shaft gives motion to equalizer spur-gear 35 through gear 38, and the turning of spur-gear 35 causes the planetary pinions 37 to act normally as non-rotary but planetary driving-dogs to turn the two bevel-gears 36 in unison, 'the entire equalizer thus turning as a single rotary body; but if one of pinions 44 be held stationary, or if its turning be retarded by a resistance superior to the resistance acting on the other one of pinions 44, then the planetary pinions will turn upon their axes and give to the two bevel-gears 36 and their appropriate bevelpinions 44 rotary motion at relative rates inversely as their degrees of resistance to turning. The left -hand pinion 44 of the equalizer drives the left-hand front tractionwheel, while the right-hand pinion 44 drives the right-hand traction-wheel, the two traction-wheels thus being driven through the medium of the equalizer. The longitudinal shafts 14 transmit motion from the forward IIO ' and 19, the frame, together with the parts carried by it, being at liberty to rise and fall without interfering with the transmission of power to the wheels. It will be also apparent that the transmission of motion to the traction-wheels is not interfered with, as the stub-axles are turned to angular positions in steering, and further analysis of the system will render it apparent that the transmission of driving power to the wheels is so equalized as not to impede the proper steering adjustment of the traction-wheels.

By referring to Fig. 2 it will be obvious that cam 33 may be manipulated to throw either of the racks alone into engagement with pinion 24, under which conditions the turning of the steering-wheel becomes effective in giving steering adjustment to all of the traction-wheels simultaneously, the relative adjustment of the front and rear wheels depending on which of the racks is employed. If the cam be so turned that the pinion will partly engage both racks simultaneously, then the steering devices are locked in adjusted position; but when rack 26 alone engages the steering-pinion 24, as in Figs. 1 and 2, then when the rear wheels are thrown to angular positions with reference to the frame the front wheels are simultaneously moved through corresponding angles, but in a reverse direction from the normal axial line of the wheels, under which condition the axes of all the wheels will be radial to the curved tracks which they are to follow. This system of steering may be calledthe radial system.

If now cam 33 be turned so as to throw rack 31 alone into engagement with steering-pinion 24, then it will be obvious that segments 21 and 27 will turn in opposite directions,

thus maintaining the axes of all the tractionwheels parallel with each other, While setting,

them all oblique to the frame, under which conditions the machine will move bodily in a path at an angle to the path in which it moved before the steering adjustment was made. This system of steering may be called the oblique system.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, if gear 38 engages the equalizer then the traction-wheels will be driven at a speed corresponding to the proportioning of the gearing, while motor counter-shaft 39 will be idle. If pinion 42 be slipped to the left into engagement with gear 41, then the motorcounter-shaft willturn, and its winding-barrels maybe employed for hoisting purposes or for aiding the advance of the machine up specially steep inclines. By sliding gear 38 out of action and sliding gear 40 into engagement with the equalizer and sliding pinion 42 into engagement with gear 41 then the motor-shaft will transmit motion through the equalizer to the traction-wheels at a rate of speed very much less than in the former case, and the winding-barrels may be employed while the motor counter-shaft is in use in transmitting motion to the traction wheels.

The term traction-engine is to be taken as including motor-vehicles generally.

My machineis peculiarlyadapted for mountainous countries.

I claim as my invention- 1. 111 a traction-engine, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a vertical pivotshaft, aframe provided with pivot-bearings engaging the upper and lower portions of said shaft and capable of vertical motion thereon, springs supported by said pivot-shaft and in turn supporting said frame, a stub-axle carried by said pivot-shaft and projecting out horizontally from one side thereof, a motorshaft carried by the frame, a traction-wheel mounted loosely on said stub-axle and carrying a gear, and transmitting-gearing connecting said gear with said motor-shaft.

2. In a traction-engine, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a vertical pivotshaft, a frame provided with pivot-bearings engaging the upper and lower portions of said shaft and capable of vertical motion thereon, springs supported by said pivot-shaft and in turn supporting said frame, a stub-axle carried by said pivot-shaft and projecting out horizontally from one side thereof, a motorshaft carried by the frame, a traction-wheel mounted loosely on said stub-axle and carrying abevel-gear, a bevel-pinion carried loosely by said pivot-shaft and engaging said bevelgear,a spur-pinion fast with said bevel-pinion, and transmitting mechanism connecting said spur-pinion with said motonshaft.

3. In a traction-engine, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a vertical pivotshaft, a yoke formed in an intermediate portion of said pivot-shaft, a bevel-pinion mounted in said yoke with its axis coinciding with the axis of the pivot-shaft, a frame'having bearings engaging the upper and lower portions of said pivot-shaft, a stub-axle carried by said pivot-shaft and projecting out horizontally to one side thereof, a traction-wheel mounted on said stub-axle and having a gear engaging said pinion, a motor-shaft carried by said frame, and transmitting devices between said bevel-pinion and motor-shaft.

' 4. In a traction-engine, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a frame, four stub-axles connected therewith by vertical pivots, a traction-wheel on each of said stubaxles, a steering hand-wheel connected with one pair of said stub-axles to serve in adjusting said stub-axles in nnison,connections from said steering hand-wheel to the second pair of stub-axles whereby said hand-wheel may adjust the four stub-axles in unison, and a reversing device in the connections between the two pairs of stub-axles whereby the movement of said steering hand-wheel in moving the two pairs of stub-axles in unison maybe caused to move the two pairs in the same or opposite angular directions as required.

5. In a traetion-engine, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a frame, four stub-axles connected therewith by vertical pivots, a steering-arm connected with each stub-axle, links connecting said steering-arms into front and rear pairs, a toothed segment connected with each of said links, a steeringstaff, a steering hand-wheel thereon, a pinion on said staff and engaging one of said segments, a transversely-shifting double rack adapted to engage said pinion, and a rack connected with said double rack and engaging the other one of said segments, whereby the turning of said pinion may be caused to adjust the two pairs of stub-axles in unison and in the same or opposite angular direc tions as desired.

6. In a traction-engine, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a frame, four traction-wheels therefor, transmitting mechanism connecting each of the front tractionwheels with the rear traction-wheel of the same side of the engine, a motor-shaft, and an equalizer con necting said motor-shaft with one of the traction-wheels upon each side of the engine.

7. I11 a traction-engine, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a frame, a pair of stub-axles connected thereto by vertical pivots, traction-wheels on said stub-axles, steering mechanism connected with said stuba-xles and serving to adjust them in unison, a motor-shaft carried by the frame, motiontransmitting devices connecting said motorshaft with both said traction-wheels, and an equalizer included in the plane of said motion-transmitting devices.

8. In a traction-engine, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a frame having upper and lower vertical pivot-bearings, a vertical pivot-shaft engaging said bearings and capable of turning and moving vertically therein, a gutter-shaped housing rigidly secured to said pivot-shaft at points above and below the lower pivot-bearin g of the frame, a stub-axle projecting outwardly horizontally from said housing, a traction-wheel mounted on said stub-axle, and springs supported by said pivot-shaft and in turn supporting said pivot-bearings.

9. In a traction-engine, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a frame,tractionwheels therefor, a motor-shaft, amotor counter-shaft, an equalizengear connected with and serving to transmit motion to the traction-wheels, a sliding gear on the motor-shaft adapted for engagement with said equalizergear, a second gear on the motor-shaft, and a pair of sliding gears 011 the counter-shaft adapted to engage with said second gear and equalizer-gear respectively.

10. In a traction-engine, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a frame, tractionwheels therefor, a motor-shaft, gearing connecting the motor-shaft with the tractionwheels, a motor counter-shaft, a windingdrum thereon, and shifting gearing adapted to connect the motor-shaft with the motor counter-shaft.

11. In a traction-engine, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a frame having upper and lower vertical pivot-bearings, a pivotshaft journaled in said bearings and adapted to turn and to slide therein, a guttershaped housing connected rigidly with said pivot-shaft at a point below the lower one of said pivot-bearings, a stub-axle projecting outwardly from said housing,a traction-wheel mountedloosely on said stub-axle, a steeringarm below said lower pivotbearing and loosely engaging said pivot-shaft and housing and adapted to turn therewith and to slide vertical] y with reference thereto, and a spring supported by said housing and pressing said steering-arm upwardly against said lower pivot-bearing.

12. In a traotion-engine, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a frame, vertical pivot-bearin gs carried thereby, vertical pivots engaging said pivot-bearings and adapted to turn and slide therein, springs supported by said pivots and in turn supporting said frame, stub-axles rigidly carried by said pivots, and wheels mounted on said stub-axles.

ISIIAM SEDGVVICK.

lVitnesses:

JAMES BEEsoN, M. G. HEARN. 

